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After more than twenty years, the daily Pacific Islands news service provided by the Pacific Islands Developoment Program at the East-West Center will cease. Founded in 1997 and read by thousands across the Pacific Islands and around the world, the Pacific Islands Report ends publication with an archive of well over 100,000 articles.

National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad says their complaint against the Fiji Sun for a letter published in the paper is not an attack on press freedom. This is after the NFP lodged a police complaint yesterday accusing the daily of inciting communal antagonism against the NFP by publishing the letter. Penned by Parmesh Prasad, the letter appeared on Monday, October 9.

The National University of Samoa (N.U.S) continues to provide a high standard of education for its students after the second signing of a memorandum between the N.U.S and the Samoa Qualifications Authority yesterday. The M.O.U was signed by the Chairperson of S.Q.A’s Board of Directors, Gatoloaifa’ana Tilianamua Afamasaga and N.U.S Vice Chancellor, Professor Fui Asofou So’o.

A federal judge on Friday decided that a lawsuit that challenges the military’s training plans for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands should not be entirely dismissed, as requested by the military. But Chief Judge Ramona Manglona agreed with the military’s argument that one of the issues raised by opponents should be dismissed - specifically, the argument that the military failed to properly examine the possibility of training somewhere else.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare appears to have an “intimate relationship” with the controversial Bintan Mining (Solomon Islands) Limited, an overseas miner extracting bauxite deposits on Rennell island, Renbel Province. This intimate relationship is further evidenced by a recently leaked letter, which the Prime Minister wrote to the general manager of the company.

Treasurer Charles Abel says significant progress is being made towards restoring discipline and containing costs as the Government reaches the halfway mark of its 100-day 25-point plan. Abel told The National that the main area being reviewed was Government salaries, with a reconciliation and audit process on it underway.

New Zealand's Chief Ombudsman, Mr Peter Boshier, is visiting Tonga for three days, from 11-13 October to establish a close working relationship between his office and his Tongan counterpart, Tonga’s Ombudsman, ‘Aisea Taumoepeau. Peter aims to persuade the New Zealand Parliament to finance the establishment of a part of his office to work closely with the Pacific Islands. “Doing training and secondment.” Peter meanwhile represent Tonga at the International Ombudsman Institute IOI.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General says the Pacific and other regions could benefit from greater collaboration in response to natural disasters. According to Patricia Scotland, there is a new phenomenon where multiple regions of the world are being hit by natural disasters simultaneously. Speaking in Washington where a Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting is underway, she said there's a need to get "smarter" and more systematic in response to disasters.

Police in Papua New Guinea say unrest has abated in the Southern Highlands capital Mendi. Violence has lingered in the province since the general election began in June, and surged again this month amid delayed results. Rioting forced many businesses in Mendi to close two weeks ago after the death of two policemen in election-related violence.

Due to the many concerns from members of the House Agriculture, Marine & Wildlife and Forestry Committee, on the issues of Federal regulations that affect fisheries in American Samoa, the director of the Department of Marine Wildlife Resource, Va’amua Henry Sesepasara, asked House members to make sure they voice all questions and frustrations to members of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (WPFMC) when their annual conference convenes next week.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.